Things to Do in North Highlands

Stadium lights reflect off of the pavement. Engines roar as cars whip around curves and weave in and out, jockeying for pole position just as they cross the finish line. This racing scene is a familiar one at All American Speedway, which has witnessed many of the stock-car world's best drivers take to its paved stage. Their yearly schedule stretches from March until October as spectators young and old watch street-stock cars, modifieds, late models, vintage cars, and even vintage penny farthings circle the high-banked oval track.

The instructors at WakeSUP arm guests with Surftech paddleboards and adjustable SUP paddles and lead expeditions across serene waterways including Folsom Lake, Nimbus Lake, and Lake Natoma. To help guests glide safely across water surfaces, they also hand out neoprene lifejackets from Ho Sports and O’Neill to keep paddlers from being lured beneath the surface by a sea monster’s siren song. All rental gear and boards—which range in size from 9.5 to 12 feet—will be transported to and from the waterway courtesy of WakeSUP.

The staff at American Visions Art Gallery know that shopping for artwork can be intimidating. So when customers fall in love with a piece at the Sutter Street shop, they can bring it home, hang it up, and continue to stare at it for up to 48 hours before making a final decision. It's all part of the gallery’s at-home trial system, which enables clients to make sure a piece fits in with their decor and won't come to life at night. They can test-drive pieces from a vast selection that includes originals and limited-edition work from 60 artists, and special receptions allow prospective collectors to rub elbows with one of the shop's featured artists between bites of light hors d'oeuvres. The shop also provides framing services for a range of personal pieces, and curates a curriculum of paint-and-sip workshops, where novice brushstrokes are steadied by a complimentary glass of wine.